There presently exist many forms of reels or spools for wire and the like some of which are fabricated as a single piece or as an assembly of multiple parts. Typical reels of this type comprise a cylindrical barrel having coupled at each end circular flanges. Coupling may be mechanical but usually involves the welding of the flange to the barrel for strength.
Reels are subject to wide applications and a variety of specification requirements. In this regard, certain reels are required to have a particular size barrel and flanges. Another reel may utilize the same size barrel but a different size flange or a flange made of a different type material, or vice versa. It is therefore desirable to provide for ready interchangeability of the elements of the reel as desired. This would obviously reduce the cost of production and allow for somewhat standardization of tooling.
Also it is desirous to provide a reel of the knock down type which is readily and effectively assembled preferably by hand so as to eliminate the need for prefabrication and assembly of the reel prior to shipping, thereby reduce the transportation costs involved.